


universe

by bloomingbruise



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Kim Brothers (EXO), M/M, Red String of Fate, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers, also, bc i can’t resist the kim bros
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-09
Updated: 2018-01-17
Packaged: 2019-02-24 09:57:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13211355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloomingbruise/pseuds/bloomingbruise
Summary: all those born in the year 1994 have had their strings of fate revealed. where the lead? to their soulmates. and while some can see their path clearly, others it’s not so easy.sehun’s strings are tangled.jongin’s, strangled.





	1. Chapter 1

i’ve been watching universe nonstop and this is just one of the ideas it’s given me. just a short little soulmates au! please leave kudos/comments for my ego :)

 

(the idea is based off these scenes)


	2. Chapter One: Jongin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am so sorry this too so long. when i began this fic, i had a lot of ideas.... but no way to piece them together. and this frustrated me endlessly. i hope the next two chapters flow easier. 
> 
> please leave comments and kudos for they truly motivate me.

kim jongin: january 14th, 1994

“i can actually feel it,” he said softly, “i can feel it more around my finger and it kind of... hurts.” four brothers lay across the bed, jongin in the center while the others curled up around him. his index finger pointed out as all their eyes fell to it. a string knotted neatly around it, vaguely trailing off with soft tangles only he could see. “not like it’s broken or anything. i guess it doesn’t really hurt that bad. but it just... i don’t know. i feel it. i know it’s there.”

glances of the utmost sympathy were passed around, brother to brother, until all their eyes met the youngest. something sad was in his.

“the soulmate stuff, jongin, is kinda sticky,” junmyeon sighed, his words earning thoughtful nods of agreement from the other two, “it isn’t always easy.”

red cheeks and puffy eyes lifted to look at the speaker.

“sometimes things work out and are simple,” jongdae’s smile was small and impossible to conceal as much as he tried. his eyes fell to the sloppily cut and tied bow that sat on his finger. it was clear what (or who) crossed his mind in this moment. “and sometimes things are....” his words trailed and the elder brothers looked amongst each other, unsure as to where they should pick up.

minseok tilted his chin upward. “sometimes things are complicated. soulmates are complicated. maybe you’ll find your soulmate and things are perfect. you’re together and in love. or at least the road to love like jongdae and baekhyun. and sometimes you find them and it’s just,” he paused, taking a deep breath, “sometimes you find them. and care for them deeply, as you should. but the timing just isn’t right. like luhan and i. and sometimes they’re out there and you just haven’t found them. junmyeon’s string was revealed years ago but he’s still looking. but there’s no reason to worry. or let it overwhelm you. don’t let it conflict with your life. your job. don’t let the mystery ruin you.”

jongin’s brow quirked, eyes narrowing in disbelief. “alright sure,” he said. he had listened to his brothers, knowing they’re wise. knowing they care for him. but believing was another thing. “i won’t let it overwhelm me.”

a small fib. a transparent one.

and it earned a soft, hearty chuckle from everyone. they snuggled deeper into their nest, deeper into jongin. the oldest pressed his lips to jongin’s temple. whispering sweetly.

“he’s out there. remember that nini.”

...

his soulmate was out there, it was a fact that jongin didn’t allow himself to forget. there had been times when he could stop focusing and it slipped from his mind briefly, but others, it wasn’t so easy. he would find himself waking up each morning clung to his pillow. wondering if his soulmate would be the early bird who woke him up with sweet kisses and a cup of coffee (very sugary coffee).

there had been a sleepy cycle of reluctance that worked its way into jongin’s routine. getting out of his warm nest of a bed proved itself to be a task. being dragged out by someone else, an equally warm body, sounded like a more appealing idea. while his limbs were long and lithe, making his bed was a task that seemed fit for two. perhaps fluffing pillows would be made easier by another body.

the closet before him was daunting. clothes scattered around, hanging on doorknobs and spread across the floor from the flurries of other mornings. as he sifted through ideas of outfits, frustration overcame him after looking at the time.

“late,” he mumbled in misplaced annoyance.

jongin couldn’t help but to imagine someone setting out outfits for him each morning before the school day started. someone who wasn’t his mother.

...

“just a hot chocolate today tao,” he said with a soft smile as he eyes lingered down, watching as he pressed the buttons for his order. on his finger sat an untied string.

jongin found himself doing that lately. ever since his string presented itself, he began to noticed the strings on others. sad sighs leaving his lips when he noticed that they were cut and tied. then there were the people who didn’t have strings yet; too young for the reveal. he would wonder if his soulmate was old enough see their string yet. the lingering ones however, left him feeling hopeful. wondering if after seeing them, his would swiftly untangle and connect with theirs.

it wouldn’t be so bad, jongin thought to himself, if tao was my soulmate. he can make coffee, is wildly handsome, and sweet to me.

but when nothing happened when the barista handed him his drink, jongin chalked it up as silly wishful thinking. useless. unfounded.

..

months had passed since the string came to his finger and jongin still had no luck. the knots tangled on it grew bigger, longer, and when he would wake up in the morning he swore they clung to him. wrapping around his body tightly and spreading over him.

jongin found himself dwelling. he focused on the strings day to day. wondering when his soulmate would just show up. when the strings would unloop. he wondered when these things would just happen, rather than solving them himself

he would shoot up out of bed in the middle of the night, gasping for air. crying for someone to save him. sobbing for them.

..

“can you two stop?” he watched with narrow eyes. there was no malice in his tone, perhaps a bit of jealousy that oozed. but jongin understood what they felt. or at least he wanted to.

his request went unheard.

the trio sat at a booth in a small ramen shop. jongin’s favorite. the soulmates dragged him here in the hopes of raising his spirits. seeing his sweet smile again. they had a few times. but it was fake. fleeting.

with a soft pout, his eyes stayed glued on the two smaller men. giggles slipping from their lips. pinching each other’s thighs. jongdae pressed his finger against baekhyun’s round cheek.

“ahem!” jongin cleared his throat, wanting more of their attention. baekhyun looked up from jongdae’s gaze.

“you okay nini?” sweet eyes grew glassy with concern.

“‘m fine... just feeling,” he cut his words short with a groan. “i’m just a bit jealous.”

“what of?” jongdae slipped his arm from the other’s waist and reached for his brother’s hand.

pulling his lip back between his teeth, jongin’s brow furrowed. “i don’t want to sound bitter,” his voice held a bit of a whine, “but i’m jealous of... well you two.”

where baekhyun looked confused, jongdae looked sympathetic. scooting a bit away from his soulmate.

“no no no!” jongin waved his hands, “please don’t reduce whatever you’re feeling just because i’m... a piss baby. i’m happy for you guys and love you both. but i just. i want it to be me. or i want to be happy too. with my soulmate. it looked so easy for jongdae. i remember when his string came... it seemed so quick. painless. mine feels so tight. god i feel like i’m choking.”

two small sets of hands wrapped around jongin’s. baekhyun had slipped into his side of the booth. smiling to him sweetly as a tear slipped through jongin’s lashes.

“it wasn’t easy for me,” he whispered. his hand slipped around jongin’s midsection, giving him a little squeeze. baekhyun hadn’t been in jongin’s life long but there were times it felt as though he was there all along. he wondered if that was a stipulation for soulmates. mesh with the family too. “maybe it seemed simple for jongdae. he had low explanations. minseok and junmyeon don’t have ideal situations, why would his be simple. he was relaxed. but me? i was an anxious mess waiting for him. i tugged at my string. i tried to cut it myself. tie it to others. it was a mess and i was too. but the second i realized what i was doing, it hit me. i would find him when it was right. the second i stopped focusing on finding him and fixing myself instead, there he was.”

jongin nodded thoughtfully. a sincere and grateful smile settled against his lips.

“it’s easier said than done, i know. but maybe try?”

“maybe,” jongin’s voice was small. but there was a certain amount of belief in it. perhaps baekhyun’s words were wiser than he knew.

...

jongin had been steadfast. working harder. in all aspects of his life. he stopped going to the coffee shop that got him down so frequently and instead got a gym membership. he didn’t wait for his soulmate to set out clothes for him, but instead made it a nightly habit himself.

the loneliness was incurable on his own. instead of isolating himself and allowing the sadness to seep deeper beneath his skin, he kept himself occupied. begging his friends, his family for their time.

he even threw himself into his work. he had been so distant from his class of kids. no longer would that be so.

but every so often, he allowed the soulmate thing to sink in.

“so uh, how did you find your soulmate?” jongin asked kyungsoo, a coworker, as they settle into their seats. the teacher’s lounge was always quiet during recess.

kyungsoo looks a bit confused, though his eyes fell to the string on his finger and the fondest of smiles spreads over his lips.

“i... um.... actually denied him. a lot,” he chuckled. to which jongin’s mouth fell open. he couldn’t imagine finding his soulmate only to deny him. but kyungsoo clearly was not finished, so he let him speak. “i didn’t really believe in it all. at least not until the string showed up. and even then i didn’t want to believe it. it was right before christmas— remember the holiday concert where i let the kids use the jingle bells?”

jongin nodded enthusiastically, “they loved it!”

“yeah, me too. i went to the music store to pick the bells up and as i went to grab them, my hand jerked back. like something had been pulling me. i had gone the entire year, no tugs. no thinking about the string and then i’m in the music store and there’s this giant, lumbering fool, pulling his way to me on a string of his own. except... it was my string too. i remember how short it was between us. and when we looked up at each other he had this huge grin.”

jongin listened with intent at this love story. enjoying each moment, waiting to hear about their big moment.

“and then i said ‘excuse me,’ and breezed right by him. bought the bells. and was gone.”

“what?!” jongin’s eyes bulged from his sockets.

“he showed up everywhere after that. he showed up at my favorite coffee shop. at the grocery store. i stopped going to the music store. and then he showed up at the school concert. dressed like he was at the opera. like our little school concert for kids was a masterpiece. he had the program in his hand and he just looked... proud. and sad. he told me it was wonderful and i was so ready to thank him and walk away. but he told me about the time he spent looking for me— he’s older, you know? his string came first. and he really believed that he didn’t have a soulmate. it was a fluke. so i gave him a chance. we cut the strings, tied them. i made him redo it until it looked good.”

“are you happy?” jongin asked softly.

“how can i not be?” kyungsoo sighed happily, “he’s my soulmate. i made him put in the time and effort, of course. but he really is my perfect match. everything i lack, it feels like he has. he makes me smile. and act goofy. and we both love music. and, and... i don’t know. i feel right when i’m with him.”

to this, jongin just nodded. it was sad no matter how much he tried to mask it.

“don’t feel down, mr. kim,” kyungsoo nudged him, “he’s out there.”

...

jongin wanted desperately to believe what everyone was saying. they urged him to find happiness elsewhere. try dating other people. visit his mother, his grandmother.

“where are you?” he’d mumble in the night. it wasn’t a sad tone that he held anymore, it was determined.

...

“luhan is going to try to transfer to korea,” minseok stated to his brothers with a soft smile.

they all held their coffee delicately in their hands, settling at a table. cream and sugar scattered across the surface, each kim fixing it to his liking.

“i have low expectations, of course,” he added, mixing his drink, “but i also want to be positive about it. he’s not just coming here for me, it’s a great career opportunity for him but still. we’ll be together. and we can finally try this soulmate thing. our facetime dates and text updates were getting tiring.”

the others congratulated him, smiles spread over their faces.

jongin secretly hoped his brothers luck would rub off on him. though the jealousy did not stick.

“i think this calls for a toast!” the youngest beamed, stirring his sugar and raising his mug. “to minseok and luhan!”

“to minseok and luhan!”

“to luhan and i,” the eldest mumbled bashfully.

as jongin went to take his sip, his arm jerked, spilling hot coffee all over him. “what the fuck?!”

his brothers watched in curious confusion.

and an echo of his words could be heard. though said by another.

“what the fuck....” he repeated in a whisper, turning in his seat.

behind him his string trailed with an end in sight. 


	3. Chapter Two: Sehun.

oh sehun: april 12th, 1994

the string showed up on his finger not long after midnight. he noticed it the next morning. and then sehun ignored it for months.

...

none of his friends question it. they don’t glance at his hands, he doesn’t wonder why. they ask about work and contracting. ‘set any buildings in the sky?’ chanyeol asks with a chuckle as he looks over sehun’s doodles before strutting away in the restaurant.

being an architect sounded nice. it’s sounded like something he could do with passion. his own way to create art with logic and reason and math. his resume, however, wasn’t stacked as tall as the buildings he liked. just a mcdonald’s and a few houses he didn’t care for.

“don’t tease him,” yixing chastised, calling out to the other. a smile was offered to the younger. “not everyone’s dreams can be so practical, chanyeol. how are your sold out concerts?” this defense always earned a scowl.

yixing’s dimpled grin becomes a somber glance.

sehun believes that if he ignores his finger, everyone else will too. and if nobody else witnesses its existence, it can’t be real. the idea of soulmates has not irked him so deeply when they were other people’s. he watched many of his friends reach the age. year after year, someone new saw their strings and many found their soulmates.

he was happy for them, really.

the sappiness generally suited them, really. it just wasn’t something for him.

he had watched it fail. he watched it come between love. his parents strings stayed unconnected for most of his life. they seemed happy. detached, perhaps. but he assumed that was a side effect of having children. it wasn’t until his teen years that his father’s soulmate showed up. of course, soulmates could be platonic. deep friendships can be made instead of love. but he remembers the way his father lit up upon meeting them. and he remembers the sadness that swelled inside his mother.

that was why he buried the notion.

“you’ve seen it, i’m sure,” yixing voice held no tone. it was generally like that. sehun could never gauge his observations. he nodded to his hand. “it’s hard to miss, no?”

“yeah i’ve seen it.” his voice was cold. his face matched.

“perhaps you’ll do something with it.” it was more of a suggestion, sehun found, from yixing. one he didn’t want to listen to.

“why should i?”

the question was defiant. he spat it out like a child testing their parents. and the older took a moment for him to ponder. yixing had no leg to stand on, sehun thought. his string was still uncut. though the string appeared thicker. he never questioned it and pretended to not be curious.

behind them, they could hear chanyeol laughing with strangers at other tables, their tray of food in his hands. their conversation had an expiration date if sehun wanted to keep it quiet.

“well?” his brow quirked, “why should i?”

“for him.” the older’s answer was steady and certain.

...

“for him?” sehun repeats for the thousandth time hours later.

he stands in his closet, ridding himself of his shoes and setting them in their designated spot; his clothes tossed in the hamper. sehun would never label himself a neat freak or even particular. standards of cleanliness, however, he does have.

“why the fuck would i do this for him?” he peels back the covers on his bed with a sort of haste. one that he lacked before. tenseness builds between his shoulders and it too is foreign to sehun. “i don’t even know him so why would i care about his happiness? for all i know, my stupid soulmate isn’t even looking for me. he could be married. he could be old. he could be ugly. or dumb.”

as much as her tried to talk himself out of it, the thought lingered.

settling himself in his bed, he grabbed the spare pillow next to him and held it close, resting his head against it. snuggling it. like it was real. like it was. person. this dawned on him after a moment, tossing the pillow away from him. aggravation setting it.

he didn’t realize how much the loneliness ached until it rattled in his chest. looping and constricting around his lungs. silently, he suffered.

“it doesn’t mean anything,” he mumbled, turning over to face the wall. “nothing at all.”

stretching out his arm, sehun examines the string. tugging at the end of his finger. it frustrated him, the way it looped and tangled. furiously he wanted to fix it. unknot. solve the puzzle. he tugged softly at it, watching as it strained and grew taut.

curious, he thought, very curious.

pictures of who could sit at the other end flitted through his mind. blinking through each option.

he probably had soft eyes. and big hands. sehun wondered if he was taller than him, he did quite like being the big spoon. “a top maybe?” he murmured to himself with a cheeky grin. someone who liked his dog. a mama’s boy. someone who didn’t use eye cream and didn’t need much counter space in the bathroom. he wanted to appreciate the nightly news with someone, share a blanket with him and wrap up in them.

it was sickeningly soft, he realized. the image he had sketched. the person, though faceless, was beautiful. sehun knew they couldn’t be real.

the realist in him knew that soulmates weren’t real. he fell asleep with this on his mind.

...

“it came?!” chanyeol’s voice was loud, taking sehun’s hand into his own and inspecting it thoughtfully. his eyes practically popped out of his head. “your string came this year and you’ve said nothing?”

“s’not a big deal to me, i suppose,” he shrugged. “cool little accessory, sure. but who knows if my soulmate is really out there. we don’t even know if any of this is real.”

“but it is r—“ chanyeol’s words were cut off by sehun’s finger silencing him. a smug smirk on his lips.

“sure sure, you’re madly in love with kyungsoo. disgustingly whipped. but yixing got his string before any of us and look at him. single as a nun,” he smirked before taking a sip of his coffee

“this is a poor argument,” yixing interjected, “i know my soulmate is out there. i’m just certain he can live without me. for now, at least. he’s strong. yours probably wants you sehun. maybe even needs you. looking at how you’re acting, maybe you need him too.”

“he’s probably right,” chanyeol piped up, “and i’m not in love with kyungsoo. i just... really admire him. and want this to work. and i want something good for you too sehun.”

“i hate the greek choir,” the youngest’s head hung low.

“hey sehun,” tao, the barista called out, hanging over the counter, “maybe we’re soulmates.”

the others chuckled, watching as tao held his finger out to sehun, pretending to tug at it.

“fine. i gotta find him. just to shut you guys up. and tao too,” sehun called out in mild defeat. and jest.  
...

the nights grew uneasy. often sehun woke up. sweating. scared. sad. his dreams were a mess. never finding love, the love. something that never scared him before. he was likable enough to find someone, confident too— if he didn’t, he wouldn’t die.

in his dre— nightmares, he grew older. melancholy. and needy. craving adoration and affection he never knew he needed. the string tied to his finger grew thin and his hands withered. and he stayed alone.

painfully alone.

something tugged at his chest. the string too. pulling him gently. sehun began to wonder of his soulmate ached as he did.

“you’re out there huh?” he rubbed his eyes with a soft smile. ripping his arm back, he wondered if they felt it too.

he curled back in his bed, feeling warmth at his feet from where his dog had settled.

and he vowed. he would find them. fear motivated him. sehun realized he didn’t want to live this way.

...

“my connection feels stronger,” yixing said with an optimistic smile, pressing his hands against the table. “there’s been no real signs but i just feel some sort of energy like... like he’s with me. ever feel that with kyungsoo chanyeol?”

the taller shrugged with a sheepish smile, wrapping his fingers around his soulmate’s waist. “sometimes,” his face flooding with red.

“don’t be so sappy,” kyungsoo pressed his lips gently against chanyeol’s cheek.

“sick,” sehun and yixing said in unison. this is what made kyungsoo blush.

bringing his tea to his lips, a coy smile came to sehun. “so uh, i think...” his mouth grew dry, “i think i’m going to be proactive about this soulmate stuff. i think i’m going to look for them. or at least try.”

yixing’s hand clapped on his back, a chuckle escaping him as he shook sehun gently. “that’s incredible.”

“i mean... i know my shitty luck so i’ve accepted that they’re probably millions of miles aw—“ sehun’s arms flailed in a grand gesture. what he didn’t anticipate was the tug on his hand that splashed his tea all over him. “what the fuck?!”

he rubbed his face, feeling a strain in his arm. a cramp in his finger.

no tangles or loops hung on the string. but he could see it clearly attached to another. their faces mirrored, jaws dropped. sehun stood up, gapping like an idiot and stumbled over to the other.

with hesitancy, he took the other’s hand and pulled at the string so delicately. he held him like he was fragile.

“i-i’m sehun,” his voice soft.

“i’m jongin.”

“jongin,” he repeated with an exhale.

he was everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my muse is back! i hope you’re all enjoying! i want to finish this before jongin’s birthday because id love to write a fic for that! (so if there’s any mistakes, that’s why, i’m trying to be quick)
> 
> one big debate i’m having is who should top and bottom ;)
> 
> please stay tuned for the final chapters and leave comments/kudos if you’re enjoying. i love feedback!


	4. Chapter Three: Together

for a moment, the rest of the world didn’t exist. sehun’s heart pounded against his chest and jongin could hear it. the rapid knocking that drew him closer. tanned cheeks flooded with red.

“jongin!” a voice called out from behind, snapping the two back into reality by snapping their attention away from each other. kyungsoo smiles sweetly to his coworker, almost oblivious of the moment he’d interrupted. “i didn’t expect to see you out of the classro— you know sehun?”

chanyeol clapped a hand over his mouth, eyes wide. “shush soo, they’re soulmates.”

brushing his hand away, kyungsoo’s brows furrowed in confusion that twisted into awe.

“hey mr. do... kyungsoo,” jongin chuckled lightly, a velvety sound that stuck sehun’s ears with wonder, before he curled his fingers around the younger’s jaw to bring his attention back to him.

“i’m jongin,” he repeated. eagerness oozed from his voice. he prayed nobody would interrupt their moment. his skin crawled with need. when describing the feeling of meeting their soulmates, nobody told jongin of the elation that would swell in his chest. they didn’t tell him how bad he’d want them in this moment.

or maybe that was just sehun.

“you already said that,” the other replied, pulling jongin’s hand from his jaw. he watched him flinch, sighing with some sadness at the lack of connection before tangling their fingers together. brushing by jongin’s chest, sehun grabbed his cup of coffee and dragged him to the counter. “to go cup tao,” his eyes begging, before he grinned. “please?”

tao did as be requested, meanwhile sehun grabbed his bagel from his table.

“let’s uh...” he found his mouth grew dry looking st the older.

“go,” jongin finished from him, dragging him out the door.

...

they walked in silence for a bit. both too scared to ruin the soulmate daze with anything foolish they could say. instead they walked along the city park, stealing glances.

sehun was godly, jongin decided. tall and broad. his skin smooth, glazed and beautiful. he found himself gawking from time to time. the younger came to a similar realization. aware of how unearthly he was.

each, however, wondered what was inside.

“i’m a teacher,” jongin stated, clearing his throat, “the second grade. they’re all insane and i’ve had to outlaw paint from my classroom but overall it’s a cool gig.”

beginning with his job wasn’t a simple thing for jongin. what came with it came his love for children. what he needed to know was if the other shared it. his eyes fell on sehun, looking for some sign of emotion. he wanted to read him with simplicity.

but he couldn’t.

“well,” sehun looked to jongin with a certain gaze of fondness. perhaps it was just in this moment, the newness of his soulmate made almost anything he said gooey and endearing, but he loved the way jongin spoke. kids were never anything sehun wanted, at least he didn’t think about them in depth. he himself still felt childlike. but the warmth between their clasped hands had sehun thinking that jongin could convince him of anything. gazing as they walked, sehun was in a trance.

“well...” jongin egged him on, cheeks flushing red as he noticed sehun’s eyes on him.

“ah...” he exhaled, embarrassed, “kids have never been my thing... they make me a bit nervous.”

jongin chuckled, interrupting him promptly. “don’t worry about that, i can teach you. they’re actually really easy to deal with. you can come in and tell them about your job which is....”

“i’m an architect,” jongin’s blush was infectious as sehun’s cheeks burned.

“that’s perfect! measurements and history! they’d love that. i mean i don’t want to twist your arm but,” he trailed off.

“no! no... no you wouldn’t be twisting my arm. it wouldn’t be a bother at all. i’d actually love it.”

together the sighed happily, eyes falling before them. watching as the park grew smaller, their route ending soon.

jongin bit his nails nervously.

sehun prayed the day with jongin wouldn’t end.

“do you want to get take out and maybe... come over?” he gnawed his lip, watching as a smile bloomed over jongin’s face.

“yeah,” the other replied, cocking his head to the side, “yeah i’d really like that.”

...

they really were soulmates. at least jongin thought so as they shared the same favorite take away place. sehun getting noodles, promising to share if jongin wasn’t stingy with his chicken.

“no promises,” a velvet chuckle poured out of him, distracting sehun as he unlocked the door to his apartment.

“it’s nothing special,” he warned, “and a little messy... i didn’t think i’d want to impress anyone today, especially not my...” he trailed off, laughing nervously.

the sound of sharp barking and clicking paws greeted them as the door pushed open.

“hi buddy,” sehun kneeled to meet his puppy’s excitement. “shhhhhh papa’s home but there’s someone you need to meet vivi. sit. you like dogs, right?” he looked up at jongin with hopeful eyes.

jongin licked his lips at the view. he couldn’t deny that seeing sehun like that, on his knees, didn’t fuck him up. but the barking (thankfully) shook him from his daze. “ah... yes!” he joined sehun on the floor, placing their food on the floor. “hello little buddy. vivi? i’m your papa’s new friend. i want to be your friend too.”

the dog whimpered at the excitement, moving between both eager hands before sehun stood, grabbing the bag and silently moving to his kitchen. a sliver of jongin and the dog could be seen from his counter. fingers pressed against his lips, wanting to desperately to hide the grin that overtook his face at the sight.

was sehun smitten?

he wanted to say it was far too early to tell but... he felt it.

dumping their food into plates sehun moved to out meet the two again. they had relocated to the couch, vivi tucked against jongin’s hip so perfectly; when someone caught his dog’s attention, usually sehun was jealous. now he was just in awe.

“hope you don’t mind i dumped yours out,” his words were quiet, smiling softly as jongin’s eyes lit up.

“bon a petit,” jongin said with a grin, holding up a piece of chicken. but as sehun opened his mouth to speak, jongin shoved it in his mouth. smiling with pride. “see? i can share.”

sehun chewed with eyes that held faux annoyance. jongin laughed the entire time, so pleased with himself and sehun wouldn’t deny himself the pleasure of hearing it.

jongin loves that sehun was a good sport. deviousness still flowed through him and so he stole a noodle from sehun’s plate (earning a well deserved whine from the younger) and stuck it in his mouth. wiggling his brows, he offered the other end to sehun.

“are we middle schoolers?” he laughed, putting it in his mouth.

“we can act like it,” jongin replied simply, shortening the noodle and bringing himself closer to sehun. “does it make you nervous?”

truth be told, it made them both nervous. the idea of their first kiss held a lot of expectations. both anticipated some sort of buzz. electricity to flow through them when their lips connected. the warmth that radiated from simple touches left jongin craving more but what if kissing sehun was lackluster? he felt himself swear as the noodle grew smaller and smaller. he could hear sehun’s breath. their eyes screamed.

kissing sehun wasn’t lackluster.

it wasn’t as electrifying as he thought it could be. but it was good. their lips connected in a chaste kiss. a sweet kiss. it was simple. like children. until it wasn’t. until both of them scrambled to deepen it.

sehun’s hands cupped jongin’s jaw, pulling him closer. wanting him more and more. closer. closer. closer. suffocating. jongin slid onto sehun’s lap, legs on either side of his hips as their lips worked together with precision. the soft friction squeezed whimpers from each of them. it was the most beautiful sound sehun had heard.

jongin grasped his hand, sliding it to his hips, loving the magnetic grip he held. this wasn’t the first time he’d been held in such an embrace but god, never had it felt so right.

it was easy curling into sehun.

it was easy grasping at his hair.

it was easy unbuttoning his shirt.

it was easy grinding into his hips.

“fuck,” the younger was breathless, meeting jongin’s eyes before chuckling, “you look so pleased.”

dragging his finger down the others chest, he smirked. “very pleased.” he guided sehun’s hands under his shirt, satisfaction wiping away the moment sehun found his nipple, rolling in his finger and pulling a moan from jongin’s throat.

sehun swallowed it with absolute haste, wrapping his arms around him and pressing their chests together. want consumed him. guilt lingered in his mind too.

he grasped jongin by his thighs, linking his long legs behind his back and carted him to his room, dropping him against his plush mattress. never had he experienced this sort of immediate attraction, placing the blame on the soulmate card. but something about jongin created a flame in his soul.

sehun looked beautiful above him, jongin decided it was a view he wanted to see forever. a knee settled between his legs and his jaw slackened. arms reached out as if begging for contact.

“sehun,” he sighed dreamily.

“jongin... i...” his mouth grew dry. looking down at jongin, nerves consumed him. “i’m not sure....”

“shhhhh,” the older cooed, fingers curling at the back of his neck, bringing him closer. he placed a soft kiss against sehun’s lips and pulled him against the bed. not on top, but next to him. “we have forever.”

jongin’s words sounded so simple to him.

they made sense.

nodding softly, he laid on his back, welcoming jongin into the crook at his side. and for a while, they just held each other in silence. a sweet moment. the smaller’s hands danced to the other, tangling their digits together. thumb smoothing over the back of his palm.

jongin broke the silence.

“can you see yourself falling in love with me?”

“do you want an honest answer?” sehun’s gut churned.

“i want you to always be honest with me.”

“there’s been moments where i feel like... like i already am. like i have been. like you’ve been in my life since — since forever. it’s not every moment, but i can see it.”

this pleased jongin, he nuzzled into sehun’s chest to hide his grin. the latter could still see it though, his beam.

“goodnight sehun,” he whispered, their eyes meeting. jongin’s thumb skimmed over his cheek fondness added to his nerves. it also allowed excitement to course through him.

“jongin?” sehun said quietly, waiting until he received a ‘hm?’ to continue. “i have to go into work early tomorrow, please don’t leave until  
i’m back?”

“mhm,” he replied before snores slipped through his parted lips.

sehun couldn’t resist leaning down just a bit to let them meet.

...

the image of jongin still in his arms when he woke up was what kept him moving through his day.

sehun really couldn’t complain, the day was short and his attention never strayed too far from jongin. and within a couple of hours, he was locking his office door and unlocking his apartment door.

it was quiet. almost as if it was vacant. not clattering in the kitchen. the tv was off. shower wasn’t running. his apartment was empty.

sehun’s heart sank.

kicking off his shoes at the door, he sighed. vivi hadn’t even gotten up to greet him. jongin had no reason beyond him requesting to stay but sehun has some foolish hope.

peeling off his clothes he dragged himself through his apartment, making his way to his room so he could settle into bed.

the morning sun crept in through his blinds, lightly illuminating his room. what sehun found was not what he anticipated.

a beautiful body slowly rising and falling laid in his bed. a soft white puppy curled under his arm. his feet couldn’t carry him to bed fast enough.

slipping beneath the covers he sighed, closing his eyes. jongin’s limbs stretched out, exhaling an achy, sleepy groan before propping himself up on his elbow and kissing sehun’s temple.

“how was work?” he asked, fingers tracing the younger’s jaw. 24 hours had passed since their meeting but jongin swore they had gone through this song and dance before. he could’ve swore they had lived like this forever.

he curled back into sehun, though did not doze off. dreamland could not compare to the warmth of this reality.

...

days and weeks passed them by and neither grew tired. jongin became restless on days he didn’t see sehun. the other irritable. jongin soothed his soul. he matured him in ways he didn’t know he needed.

others noticed.

“you’re kinder,” yixing noted with a smile.

“am not,” sehun couldn’t hold back his smile, not with jongin on his mind.

“when is he coming?” he asked thoughtfully.

they all gathered around a table in the coffee shop they met in. jongin was to meet sehun’s friends formally for the first time and his brothers would join them shortly after. sehun’s body buzzed with nerves, knowing jongin was charming enough for his friends, but was he enough for the brothers? jongin loved them dearly, they were his everything. pressure built on his shoulders.

“jongin is chronically late,” kyungsoo noted, sipping his drink, “he can’t help it.”

tao nodded in agreement, “never on time and always flustered about it.” he laughed.

sehun tried to keep his face neutral but it faltered only slightly, though enough to catch chanyeol’s attention. “that’s gonna drive sehunnie crazy,” he laughed softly poking the others cheek.

“no no,” sehun waved his hand away, “i’m big in punctuality but if he is th—“

in through the door came a frazzled jongin. paper bag in one hand and a nervous smile on his lips. “hello everyone!” his voice shook at the new crowd of people. sehun raised his hand to stop the rushed man, fingers curling at the base of his neck. “hello you,” he mumbled against sehun’s lips before pressing into them.

the buzz was still there. but it was a calming feeling. jongin sucked in a deep breath as he pulled away from sehun and settled in the seat next to him.

“hello tao!” he greeted, before bowing his head, “kyungsoo, always good to see you. chanyeol, yixing. i’ve heard things about both of you. very good things about you yixing.” his lips twitched upward into a smirk. “i’m sure you can imagine what i hear from these two about you chanyeol.”

sehun’s hand clapped over jongin’s mouth, jokingly pulling him in to stop him from continuing. lips pressed against the older’s neck but this didn’t silence his laughter.

“now i’m curious,” chanyeol’s eyes narrowed between sehun and kyungsoo. “what have they said?”

“you know how much i love you chanyeol,” kyungsoo sighed, acting far more affectionate than usual.

“have i ever told you how handsome you are chanyeol? better looking than me and a close second to my jongin?”

yixing and jongin watched the two fawn over chanyeol in attempt to make him forget the potential negativity. it worked. a smug grin smeared across his cheeks, kissing kyungsoo and beaming at sehun as they cooed.

“so,” yixing croaked, turning to the other, “you’re the famous jongin huh?”

“famous? really?” he gasped with a smile. “this is insanely flattering. i didn’t think sehun would talk about me much.”

yixing offered him a soft smile and a quirk brow that showed his disbelief. “you’re all he talks about. the way you snore. and how when you smile he can count all your teeth. he did cry about how vivi loved you more but in the words of sehun, ‘who wouldn’t adore him?’ he’s disgustingly smitten.”

jongin patted his cheeks, feeling them flush with warmth and redness and yixing’s words. “i’m nervous,” he confessed. “you all seem simple. but my brothers are on their way. sehun impresses me endlessly but what if h— oh, they’re walking in now, see them?”

jongin and yixing turned to the window, watching as his brothers (and their respective soulmates) marched in front. yixing’s eyes flickered with curiosity as they did so. fingers curled into a fist. “excuse me,” he mumbled before heading outside. grabbing junmyeon, they rushed away.

the bell jingled and the kim party rushed in.

“that was weird,” jongdae moved to jongin’s side, baekhyun scurrying on his lap.

“he’s right,” baekhyun nodded, fingers threading through jongin’s hair. “he just grabbed junmyeon and left. should we be worried? should we chase them?”

“don’t,” minseok shook his head, settling sound and wrapping an arm around luhan, “today is important, he’ll be back.”

“yixing will be too...” jongin finished curiously before sehun cleared his throat. pushing baekhyun off his lap, jongin stood up and settled on sehun’s. gentle lips pressed against his ear.

“nervous?” sehun’s voice was low.

turning to meet his gaze, jongin cupped his face in his hands. “with you here? never.” it wasn’t a fib. something about sehun put jongin at ease. relaxing him, though jitters did naturally flow. “ahem,” he cleared his throat, eyes falling to him. “friends, family. everyone, this is my sehun. my soulmate.”

the younger waved awkwardly, nodding to his party, “and this is jongin. my jongin. soulmate.”

everyone held fond smiles against their lips. jongin’s brothers beamed at the unknown shine on his face, in awe at the way sehun looked at him too. minseok and jongdae (baekhyun too) has seen the way jongin suffered. his loneliness had a tendency to take over. but looking at the way sehun held him, arms casually draped around his waist like it was second nature brought them joy.

“i’m minseok,” he moved foreword, extending his hand and breaking this silence, “and this is my soulmate luhan. it’s truly a pleasure to meet you sehun. we’ve heard nothing but incredible things about you.”

jongin kissed sehun’s cheek, growing red.

“we’ve heard more than incredible things,” the other brother winked leaving sehun with some questions. “i’m jongdae and this is my soulmate baekhyun. i’ll apologize for him in advance.”

baekhyun scoffed in faux offense, leaving the lap of his own soulmate and moving to the younger too. “he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, he’s just as extra as i am. just far less attractive and charming— to others. he’s perfect to me.” sehun watched the spectacle that was baekhyun and jongdae in absolute amusement. jongin cringed, less than impressed but not surprised.

“my other brother should’ve been here,” he sighed, “but left with yixing which is beyond odd.” he shook his head. “this is the kim show though. please accept it.”

nosing his neck, sehun hummed happily. “i love them.” as he said it, they all offered their kim beams. luhan and baekhyun has dazzling smiles as well.

“you already met yixing, i see. and obviously kyungsoo. but this is my best friend chanyeol,” sehun gestured.

chanyeol’s grin widened dramatically. eyes shrinking as his leer grew. “i’ve known sehun dice i was 13 and never have i seen him so... happy. confident too. it’s crazy. also, he’s never had a boyfriend so attractive.” kyungsoo and sehun cleared their throats, looking at him. “i meant with sehun,” he glowered. “basically what i’m saying is nobody has suited him so perfectly.”

jongin felt his heart swell, fingers clasping my onto sehun’s with absolute delight. love filling his chest.

both junmyeon and yixing returned. suspiciously close in time. suspiciously silent. and what went unnoticed were the freshly cut and tied strings around their fingers. neither were big on shows and instead politely introduced themselves to the respected parties.

“tao, i think we’re all ready to order,” sehun grinned, tightening his grip on jongin’s waist.

everyone was settled, everyone was happy.   
...

gripping onto jongin’s waist, sehun impatiently waited for him to open the door. lips ravenously moved against the older’s neck, nipping and sucking. fingers crept under his shirt, smoothing over the rippled skin.

“sehun,” jongin gasped, fumbling with his keys, the other brushing over his nipple. “please.”

“please what?” he rumbled, fingers trembling as he heard the door click. “i’m not sure how much longer i can wait.”

jongin and sehun had already waited a long time. for each other, for this level of intimacy to be unlocked. patiently, they each toyed with the idea of sex. many nights spent teasing the other only to back out in the end. neither knew when it would be right. but they each wanted it to be special. overly romantic.

tonight it wouldn’t be.

there were no rose petals leading to jongin’s bedroom. or heart shaped candy. no candles lit.

just the darkness, moonlight creeping in through the windows.

clothes discarded through the living room.

down the hall.

jongin finally stepping out of his boxers as the foot of his bed. shoving sehun down and settling on his knees between the other’s thighs.

“you’re sure?” he asked, eyes blown with lust. they had seen each other striped and vulnerable. they had seen what was underneath. jongin had told sehun his fears and the other exposed his worries. in love and in life. they had touched souls, spending nights awake crying over things that happened years ago. over things that frustrated them in that day.

they hadn’t been like this though.

sehun nodded. exhaling as jongin’s index finger smoothed over his clothed cock, moving until the digit met his waistband. pulling it down and freeing him before discarding his boxers with the rest of their clothes.

looking up with large eyes, jongin’s hand gently pumped sehun, kissing the base of his cock with a soft hum. prematurely, the younger moaned. and the older chuckled happily, moving his lips up. gently pressing them against the underside until he met the tip; already leaking with precum, jongin gave it a kitten lick before taking a deep breath and diving in. not warning, just a jump.

“fuck,” sehun exhaled, threading his fingers through jongin’s hair with pride. he watched as the other bobbed his head, shallow movements over his cock before taking him deeper. deeper. down all the way and letting out a strangled groan. sehun matched the sound with a haggard exhale. watching as jongin began to bop against shallower and shallower before letting go of sehun’s cock with a pop.

“your lips were made for sucking,” he sighed, dragging his fingers over jongin’s jaw, “but much more of that and i’m going cum too soon.”

jongin opened his mouth to protest with a sweet mouth but sehun pulled him up, kissing the pout away and begging him to lay on the bed.

“i want you,” he sighed, lowering his soulmate’s back to the mattress. “fuck i’ve wanted you for so long.” he didn’t mean sexually.

jongin cupped sehun’s head in his hands. pulling him in for a soft kiss. “you have me. only yours. i’m yours,” his voice raspy.

sehun felt crazy. intoxicated by the person below him.

reaching over to the bedside table, he grabbed the lube and dunked his fingers in liberally before discarding it and bringing the digits between jongin’s legs.

“you’re sure?” he asked softly.

jongin just nodded. the only thing sehun needed before plunging a finger in. he sighed at the tightness. moving through jongin and dipping down to swallow his moans. quickly he added another finger, scissoring him open with haste and impatience. and then he added another finger.

gripping sehun’s bicep, jongin panted. “fuck me,”  
he groaned. “i’m ready, i promise.”

sehun looked at him skeptically but trusted his limits. he placed his hand son either side of jongin’s head, their faces parallel. eyes blending together as sehun angled his hips against jongin’s. hesitating for just a moment.

“please,” whimpered jongin, fingers digging into sehun’s ass.

and that was all he needed. sinking into the other, sehun let out a carnal moan. jongin fit so tight around him, enveloping him perfectly. pressing his entire length into the other, he paused to let him  
adjust. but with the softest nod, eyes coming to a close, their hips clashed once more. skin slapping as sehun bucked into jongin.

“you feel so good,” sehun kissed jongin’s neck, moving into to him.

jongin’s whimpers echoed through the room, hips greedily grinding into sehun’s. they both grew needy, craving more of the other. sehun held jongin against his chest wanting so badly to melt into him. wrapping his legs around sehun’s waist, jongin clung to him, teeth grazing over his skin feeling more and more undone with each thrust. sehun sat them up right, settling jongin in his lap and moved upwards.

“fuck,” jongin cried, bouncing against the other, “i’m close, so close.”

sehun’s hand slipped between them, tugging gently at jongin’s cock allowing him his orgasm. tight walls closed around sehun’s cock, milking him to completion before spilling over in jongin. he leaned back on the bed, pulling the other on top of him.

and for a moment, the just laid together unmoving. gazed trained on each other. eyes searching.

jongin broke the calmness, smoothing sehun’s matted hair away from his forehead and pressing a gentle kiss against his skin.

“i’m not afraid to say it,” jongin whispered, earning a confused look from sehun. “i love you.”

elation fluttered in sehun’s chest, tightening his grip on the other. wanting to badly break his body with affection. never did anyone make him surge like jongin did. nobody made him feel complete.

perhaps that was the soulmate thing working.

scooping jongin into his arms, sehun stood. “i love you too,” he whispered against his neck. “let’s go clean up.”settling jongin on the bathroom counter, sehun turned on the faucet and allowed the tub to fill with warm soapy water.

happily they sighed, each stealing sheepish glances as if they were school girls. sehun wiggles himself between jongin’s thighs, nothing lecherous growing between them now, and pressed his forehead to the others.

“i really love you,” the younger sighed, tears brimming in his eyes. he closed them in the hopes of hiding it.

he didn’t.

jongin wipes his thumb along sehun’s cheek. “don’t cry baby,” he kissed a tear, “it’s too beautiful.”

red flushed over his skin and the older’s hand smoothed over his body before settling against his tailbone.

“i love you too,” he whispered, nibbling on sehun’s earlobe, “now take me to the bath.”

..

months passed. landmarks were met. events attended. and together they fell deeper. never labeling themselves anything other than soulmates.

boyfriend? lover? partner? none ever seemed to do them justice. they always felt like more.

each morning, jongin woke with a smile on his face and lips pressed against his skin. bliss waiting for him just as he prayed for. sehun’s arms always draped over him, some mornings he found the younger curled against his chest.

untangling himself was always a task. it was hard leaving the warmth of their bed but the day didn’t wait for soulmates.

dragging his feet to their closet, he’d hear sehun sleepily say from their bed, “i set an outfit for you.” and sometimes, when the younger was really daring, he would add, “the kids are gonna love your tie.”

compromise filled their days, jongin had to pull sehun out of bed, babying him and coaxing him out with promises of what the night could hold for this setting.

“if you get out now sehunnie, tonight i’ll get on my knees...”

that always did the trick.

somehow sehun got dressed quicker, prepared his lunch faster, and tied his shoes with more haste. pulling jongin out and onto the road to the coffee shop.

“i’ll see you when you get home,” jongin’s fingers played with sehun’s collar.

sehun would smooth his hand over jongin’s stomach, eyes wide with excitement. “maybe i’ll swing by for lunch. i’ve grown fonder of the kids.”

“i knew you’d warm up!” jongin beamed.

“i’m fondest of you,” he kissed jongin’s neck.

“i love you most,” then older cooed.

“i bet you don’t,” untangling their hands, sehun pressed his lips against all 10 of jongin’s knuckles, sighing sadly as he knew they had to depart.

jongin watched as he walked away. loving the way sehun’s ass looked as he sauntered off. he could barely remember the time he spent alone, when he longed for his soulmate.

jongin thanked the universe for perfection.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sighs happily. finally. this is complete. it took me much longer than i anticipated and this last chapter was longer than expected but i hope it leaves everyone content. there’s probably a lot of typos, i didn’t proof read. i hope all expectations were met and questions answered. always expect more from me. 
> 
> comments/kudos make my heart swell so if you leave them, i’ll greatly appreciate it. thank you for reading. 
> 
> my twitter is @joyesque if you ever wanna hmu, we can cry over sekai (and many other ships)


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